Cricket World Cup T20: Gaylestorm...And Rains Spoil First Two Big Matches!

The first two big matches of the ICC World Cup Twenty20 2012 were scheduled on September 22--Sri Lanka Vs South Africa and Australia Vs West Indies. Spectators were indeed regaled by some splendid batting performances including that of Chris Gayle who is back in the West Indies team (54 runs off only 33 balls with 5 fours and 4 sixes), De Villiers for South Africa (30 runs off 13 balls) and Shane Watson for Australia (41 off 24).

The first match between Sri Lanka and South Africa in Hambantota started after a delay of more than two hours due to heavy rains and so it got reduced to a ridiculous 7 overs each. Sri Lanka made it worse for themselves by opting to field first after winning the toss, maybe influenced by the overcast conditions. Thanks to De Villiers South Africa posted a daunting 78 runs for 4 in 7 overs. The Sri Lanka reply was a disaster as their batsmen had no answer to the pace and accuracy of South Africa bowlers. South Africa won by a huge margin of 32 runs. Malinga was the most expensive bowler for SL, a cause for worry indeed. 

The second big match of the day between Australia and West Indies in Colombo started on time with West Indies winning the toss and deciding to bat first. Immediately there ensued a Gaylestorm and riding on that superlative innings West Indies made a healthy looking 191/8 in 20 overs. Australia started in a fitting manner and blazed away to 100 runs in just 9.1 overs for the loss of only one wicket when rains stopped play. After an agonizing wait the DL method came into force and Australia was declared winners by 17 runs. Shane Watson was the player of the match. 

In the earlier matches South Africa defeated Zimbabwe by 10 wickets on September 20. In the two matches played on September 21 New Zealand thumped giant-killer Bangladesh by 59 runs with Brendon McCullum making a scintillating 123 runs--the highest ever in any T20 history off only 72 balls, and in the second match England sent Afghanistan home in great style winning by a mammoth 116 runs.  

Two big matches are again scheduled for Super Sunday today. Pakistan meets New Zealand in the first match which promises to be a eye catcher with McCullum peaking at the right time. And then the biggest one for India, England Vs India at 7.30pm Indian time. Team India must gear up for this encounter in all departments of the game.

Lord Ganesha Arrives In The City!

Happy Lord Ganesha Festival wishes to all of you! The beloved God of wisdom and prosperity who protects everyone from obstacles and mishaps has arrived yesterday in Mumbai. Huge endless queues line up the biggest public worship places while millions do the rituals, the offerings and chanting of devotional songs in their homes. At home for the desired duration of days He is like the Head of family and is respectfully installed, bathed ritualistically, dressed and offered all the daily meals—an integral part of worship. No wonder He is so fondly called Ganapati or Gananayaka (leader or protector of people).

This year Ganapati Festival on the occasion of Lord Ganesha's Birthday is being celebrated from September 19 in Mumbai and Maharashtra. This 10-day festival begins on the fourth day of the new moon lunar cycle. Worshiped both publicly and at homes across the state this festival is celebrated from one and half day to the full ten days. On the 11th day idols are immersed in a big way. Depending on the days of worship major immersions take place on the second, fifth and the 11^th day. To check pollution in the seas the municipal corporation of Mumbai has kept ready many artificial ponds. Many idols are being conceptualized on the running themes of corruption, drought, organ donation and many others. 

Ganesha Festival has a special significance for Maharashtra because in 1893, Lokmanya Tilak transformed the annual domestic festival into a large, well-organized public event. Tilak recognized the wide appeal of the deity Ganesha as "the god for everybody", and popularized Ganesh Chaturthi as a national festival in order "to bridge the gap between Brahmins and 'non-Brahmins' and find a context in which to build a new grassroots unity between them", and generate nationalistic fervor among people in Maharashtra against the British colonial rule. Tilak was the first to install large public images of Ganesh in pavilions, and also established the practice of submerging in rivers, seas, or other pools of water all public images of the deity on the tenth day after Ganesh Chaturthi.

Cricket World Cup T20: India Just Manage To Beat Spirited Afghanistan!

Yuvraj Singh Takes Crucial Wickets!

India struggled to beat Afghanistan in their first match of the ICC World Cup Twenty20 in Sri Lanka yesterday in Colombo. When finally they won by 23 runs it was not at all worthy of the current one-day Champions. 

India huffed and puffed to 159 for the loss of five wickets in allotted 20 overs with the openers Gambhir and Sehwag failing again. The pitch could be a valid reason, because the Australia-Ireland match was played in the same track a little earlier. Just to exploit the wear and tear of the pitch Afghanistan must have decided to send India in after winning the toss. But equally important was the sheer pace of Afghan pacer Shapoor Jadran who accounted for the both the openers and the energy of a spirited Afghan team. The openers departed for just 22 runs on the board in the 5^th over. Yuvraj Singh in his second major comeback match made 18 off 20 balls with one six. They could have reduced India to 79 for 5 if the catches were taken and fewer extras conceded. There was just a solitary half century by the ever dependable Virat Kohli in the Indian innings. Raina made a neat 38 and Dhoni added a quick-fire 18 off 9 balls to set a somewhat respectable target of 160 to win for Afghanistan. 

Afghanistan started in a whirlwind fashion notching up 27 runs in the fourth over when Balaji struck for India. But the momentum was never lost though wickets started to fall at regular intervals and in the form of a gallant Mohammad Nabi (31) Afghanistan kept fighting to the end. Slow and spin bowling had the better of the Afghans as Yuvraj Singh exhibited his all-round abilities by capturing three wickets at a crucial juncture. The comeback medium pacer Balaji too came up with three wickets and R Ashwin got two scalps. Finally India just managed to win by 23 runs and the underdogs Afghanistan proved its point very emphatically to the cricketing world. The Scorecard:

 

Indian captain Dhoni would still be a worried man on his team’s batting and bowling against a qualifying team. India has almost ensured a place in the Super8, but they must set things right in the match against England on September 23 to get ready for the final stage. Man of the match Virat Kohli cannot be expected to come to the team’s rescue every time. Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan continue to be big worries too. 

The results in ICC World Cup Twenty20 cricket tournament so far: * On the first day that is September 18 hosts Sri Lanka crushed Zimbabwe by 92 runs riding on the incredible performance of spinner Ajantah Mendis who created T20 history by capturing 6 wickets for 8 runs in 4 overs. Scores: SL 182/4 and Zimbabwe 100 all out in 17.3 overs. * On September 19 Australia registered an easy win on qualifying Ireland by 7 wickets. Scores: Ireland 23/7 & Australia 125/3 in 15.1 overs.